Various scholars | American Enterprise Institute
Through a glass darkly: Three scenarios for Russian aggression in UkraineMichael Kofman | American Enterprise Institute | December 12, 2017
Russia's unfinished business in UkraineAndrew Wilson | American Enterprise Institute | December 12, 2017
Russia will start expanding its naval and air bases in Syria, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said on Tuesday. The move comes as part of a deal signed with Damascus in January and ratified by parliament to ensure Russian access to Syrian waters and ports. “Last week the Commander-in-Chief [President Vladimir Putin] approved the structure and the bases in Tartus and in Hmeimim [air base]. We have begun forming a permanent presence there,” RIA news agency quoted Shoigu as saying. Russia will use the Tartus port for 49 years with the possibility of extending the agreement, and utilize the air base in Hmeimim indefinitely.Meanwhile, Chief of the General Staff Army Gen. Valery Gerasimov said Wednesday that next year’s priority for the Russian military in Syria will be "wiping out An-Nusra forces." Gerasimov noted that "some members of this terrorist organization operate in de-escalation zones … therefore they must be eliminated." Another priority will be political settlement in Syria, Gerasimov added. Read More